Mv. Volpe et al., Association of bronchopulmonary sequestration with expression of the homeobox protein Hoxb-5, J PED SURG, 35(12), 2000, pp. 1817-1819
Bronchopulmonary sequestration (BPS) is caused by the abnormal development
of an accessory lung diverticulum from the foregut very early in embryogene
sis. The developmental abnormalities seen with BPS suggest that this anomal
y is caused by abnormal expression of homeobox genes, which control axial i
dentity and organ-specific patterning during embryogenesis. The authors pre
viously have shown that the homeobox gene Hoxb-5 is necessary for normal ai
rway branching during lung development. The authors now report that BPS is
associated with aberrant developmental expression of Hoxb-5 protein, sugges
ting that this Hox gene is involved in the development of BPS. J Pediatr Su
rg 35:1817-1819. Copyright (C) 2000 by W.B. Saunders Company.